SLUG: OPENDOOR
Malaysia's invitation to Palestinian leader Abbas remains open
Amalia Azmi, Nor Ain Mohamed Radhi
news@nst.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's invitation to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to visit the country remains open, although a date has yet to be fixed.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said he had extended the invitation verbally on several occasions, and Abbas had expressed deep appreciation for Malaysia's support for the Palestinian struggle for a sovereign state.
However, he said Abbas had indicated that circumstances did not yet allow a visit to be scheduled.
"If I meet him again, I will invite him.
"If necessary, we will ask the prime minister to write a formal letter inviting him to Malaysia," he said in reply to Hassan Abdul Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang) in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Hassan had asked whether the government planned to invite Abbas, noting that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II had visited Malaysia recently.
He also recalled that then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had invited Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) leader Yasser Arafat to Malaysia in 1984.
Mohamad said any invitation would be extended to the PLO, which he described as recognised by the international community, while Gaza is governed by Hamas.
"So, in answer to the question, if we are to invite anyone, we will invite the PLO, the government recognised by the world body," he said.
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KEYWORDS: Malaysia, Malaysia News, NST, nation, Dewan Rakyat, Mahmoud Abbas, Palestine, Mohamad Hasan, Tok Mat, Wisma Putra, invitation
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